Vial floss dispenser

Abstract

The present invention is an improved vial-type floss dispenser. The floss dispenser has a spool of floss mounted upright in a cylindrical container with a unique cap design that allows floss to be smoothly dispensed through the cap of the dispenser, essentially parallel to the axis of the spool of floss. Tangling and snagging problems previously encountered with top-dispense floss vials of this type are avoided by the improved cap design that allows the free spinning of the spool within the container. The top-dispense mechanism of the present invention enables the use of a number of other improved features, including a protective lid that fully covers an exposed leader of floss between uses.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A floss dispenser that comprises an essentially cylindrical vial case, the case including two ends and a longitudinal length and having an opening in at least one end;   a spool having floss wrapped around a hub, the spool rotatably disposed in the case and proportioned to be inserted into the case through the opening in its end with the hub of the spool mounted parallel to the length of the cylindrical case;   wherein the spool further includes a disc on one end of the hub, the disc assisting in centering the spool in the case while the spool is rotated within the case around a longitudinal axis of the hub, and a projection on the opposite end of the hub;   a cap removably mounted over the opening and sealing the opening in the end of the cylindrical case, the cap including a recess therein surrounded by a circular lip, the recess and lip receiving and centering the projection of the hub when the cap is sealing the opening in the case, and the cap further including at least one opening therein through which floss is threaded out of the end of the case, the opening in the cap being oriented outside of the lip in a groove between the lip and the case when the cap is mounted in place;   wherein when the spool is inserted within the case and the opening in the end of the case is sealed with the cap, the hub of the spool is retained within the recess in the cap and the spool spins easily within the case, with the floss paying-off freely through the opening in the cap.   
     
     
       2. The floss dispenser of claim 1 wherein a removable lid is provided on the cap to seal the opening in the cap.   
     
     
       3. The floss dispenser of claim 2 wherein the cap also includes a cutting blade;   wherein the lid seals the opening in the cap and the cutting blade when the floss dispenser is not in use.   
     
     
       4. The floss dispenser of claim 3 wherein the lid is further attached to the cap by a hinge. 
     
     
       5. The floss dispenser of claim 1 wherein the end of the case opposite the opening is sealed with a transparent plug; and   the circular disc comprises transparent material;   wherein the transparent plug and the transparent disc provide a view of the amount of floss contained on the hub.   
     
     
       6. The floss dispenser of claim 1 wherein said lip includes a portion that is tapered inwardly toward the recess so as to assist in mounting the recess over the projection of the hub. 
     
     
       7. The floss dispenser of claim 1 wherein a cutting blade is mounted in a top surface of the cap; and   an indent is provided in the top surface of the cap between the opening and the cutting blade, whereby the floss exiting the case via the opening in the cap and held in place within the cutting blade can be readily grasped by a user.   
     
     
       8. The floss dispenser of claim 7 wherein a lid is attached to the cap by a hinge and further mounted over the cap when the dispenser is not in use so as to cover the opening in the cap, the cutting blade, and floss held between the opening and the cutting blade.